BUCKHEAD, Ga. (March 26, 2007) - Boater Jim Russell of Statham, Ga., won the Bass Fishing League Bulldog Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Oconee Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds,14 ounces. The victory earned Russell $5,100 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Lake Seminole Regional Championship.
Russell was throwing spinnerbaits in shallow spawning pockets to catch his winning limit of bass.
Russell also earned an additional $1,500 for being the highest-placing Ranger Cup participant.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Kim Carver of Milledgeville, Ga. (five bass, 16-13, $3,000); Rick Tindell of Leesburg, Ga. (five bass, 15-13, $2,000); John Eric Canerday of Good Hope, Ga. (five bass, 15-12, $1,300) and Mark Fletcher of Palmetto, Ga. (five bass, 15-12, $1,300).
Nathan Fuller of Hillsboro, Ga., took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $1,000 for an 8-pound, 12-ounce bass.
Billy Cain of Jackson, Ga., earned $3,000 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 14 pounds, 8 ounces that he caught while fishing a Carolina-rig.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Kyle Carver of Alachua, Fla. (five bass, 13-5, $1,250); Ryan Lamb of Lilburn, Ga. (four bass, 13-5, $1,250); Keith Howard of Warner Robins, Ga. (five bass, 12-10, $700) and Tony Allen of Milledgeville, Ga. (five bass, 11-8, $600).
Dave Jones of Acworth, Ga., earned $500 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 6-pound, 5-ounce bass. The Bulldog Division's next event will be April 14 on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Ga., followed by a tournament May 19 on West Point Lake in Lanette, Ala. The division's final event of the regular season will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 8-9 on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Ala.